Awning frame



Dec. 29, 1936;. E. REUKAUF. JR.; r A1. 2,066,227

AWNING FRAME Filed OCT.. 10, 1934 #ma f Patented Dec. 29, 1936 Aras AWNING FRAME Edward Reukauf, Jr. and Waiter J. sinner, Phila.-

delphia, Pa., assignors to Carey-McFall, Co.,

Philadelphia, Vania Pa., a corporation of vPennsyl- Application October 10, 1934, Serial No. y747,793

16 claims. .(01. 15s- 42) p This invention relates to awning frames and particularly to those for use with the cheaper ready-made variety of awning, which heretofore has been provided with a frame composed of rela` tively thin fiat bar stock of rectangular cross section bent into a U-shaped form constituting the side arms and the cross or front bar ofv the frame. Due to the frailness of such construction these frames do not hold their shape nor do they properly support the awning when in use, particularly in strong winds and heavy rains.

The object of the present invention is to provide an awning frame structure which, insofar as rigidity, capability of holding its shape, and providing proper support for an awning under the above noted conditions of use is concerned, will compare favorably with the pipe or solid round rod frame normally supplied with the more eX- pensive made-to-order type of awning; and which can be manufactured at such a considerably lower cost than the pipe or solid round rod frames as will permit oi its use with the cheaper readymade awnings, to replace the frail flat bar frame above noted.

The construction of an awning frame made in accordance with the principles of the present invention will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawing; of which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof the assembled frame;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of one corner of the frame;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line lai- 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detached perspective View of the elements of the frame at one corner thereof;

Fig. 5 is an end of one of the side arms;

Fig, 6 is a perspective view of one end of one of the side arms with a pivot tting thereon; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are sections on the lines 'I-'I and 8--8 respectively; Fig. 6.

As shown in Fig. l, the frame comprises a front or cross bar I which is joined by corner elements 2-2 to the outer ends of each of a pair of side arms 3, 3, the inner ends of the side arms 3 being pivoted by means of screws, bolts or cotter pins to the usual form of awning bracket 5 by which the awning frame is mounted cn the frame of the window screened by the awning.

The paramount feature of the present inven- Y tion resides in the fact that all of the members I, 2 andl 3 of the frame are either rolled or pressed from relatively inexpensive at strips or sheets of suitable metal, preferably inexpensive sheet ironfl.

In order to 'resist the eiiects of the elements the members ll, 2 and -'3 may be galvanized or otherwise treatedinany well known manner to resist deterioration either before or after the transformation from the flat strips or sheets into the finished shapes.

The bar members I Yand 3 are conveniently rolled, in automatic machines, from the ilat strip form into an elongated cylindrical or tubular form, with the longitudinal edges 6, 6 of the strip disposed in hush-abutting relation to each other adjacent a more or lessopen seam l, providing a generally circular hollow centered cross sectional` shape. Obviously, a U-shaped, hexagonal, octagonal, or other flat sided cross sectional shape may be provided without departing from the spirit rof the invention, the point being that the transformation ofthe fiat strip into a hollow-centered tube materially increases the strength and rigidity of the member, so constructed, over and -above the common thin flat rectangular bar normally used for the frames in the cheaper grade of awning.

The corner members 2 are split longitudinally in a median plane, the *completer corner piece' being composed of a pair of identical interchangeable elements, each of vwhich consists in the present instance-of a90 turn or elbow I of semi-A circular crosssectiomhaving an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameters of the bars I and 3. l

Projecting at right angles to each other from theopposite ends Il, II of each of the elbow portions Il) is an elongated projection I2 of semicircular cross section of reduced outer diameter with respect to the outer diameter of the elbow portion IU, the outer diameter of the projections I2, I2 being substantially equal to or slightly less than .the inner diameters of the members I and 3 with which the corner members 2 cooperate in producing thevrigid assembled'frame.

As shown inthe drawing, a pair of the corner half-sections 2a, 2a are assembled with the open planar sides .thereof facing each other to form each complete corner member 2., A separating joint or seam I3 is produced in each complete corner member A'2 by the marginal or contour edges I4, I4 of the parts 2a, 2a lying in flushabutting relation to each other. The joints I3, vI3 of the two corner members 2, 2 in .an assembled' frame lie Vin the general median plane of the assembled ,f-rame.

As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the flush joints or of withstanding strong Vseam 1 of the bar vI being disposed at one side of the corner member seam I3 while the seam 1 of the bar 3 is -disposed at the opposite side of the corner member seam I3. In this manner the frame is strengthened yagainst torsional stresses which would tend rto cause twisting of the frame in cases where the bar seams 1, 1` were coincident with `each other, and with theVv seams I3 of the corner members 2. 1 Y

In assemblingthe frame, the two interchangeable half-sectionsZa, 2a `of a corner member 2 are placed in juxtapositionto complete one of the corner members 2, whereupon the elongated projections I2, I2 of the assembled corner member 2 are inserted in adjacently positioned ends of the front bar I and one of the side bars 3 respectively, until the extreme end edges I5 of said bars abutshoulders I6 on'the Lcorner mem-y bers 2 which are provided by the reduction in the diameters of the projections I2 with respect to lthe elbow portions I0 of said members.

In order to facilitate assembling, the semi-cylindrical projections I2a. of each half section 2a are tapered fromthe median plane of the member 2 outwardly toward the outer end of the projection half, as indicated at Ida, whereby thesections may be readily slipped into the end of a side bar or cross bar independently if desired.

When assembled in the above noted manner, openings I1, I1 in the respective half-section projections I2a, I2a of the corner member 2 Vare aligned with each other and with openings IB, I8 formed in the bars I and 3 respectively, for the reception of any suitable locking element, such for example asa rivet I9. HoweveL-ifV the frame is to be shipped in a knocked-down form, the rivets I9 which secure theside bars 3, 3 'to the corner members 2, 2 may be replaced by any suitable detachable connecting means, such for example as a cotter pin shown in Fig. 1, or a suitably threaded vnut and bolt may be provided, if desired.

The awning frame constructed and assembled in the manner above described will be capable winds and will support an awning in Yheavy rains without bending and twisting, as is common in the at rectangular bar frame commonly used in cheaper grade of awning, and in this respect compares favorably with the solid round rod or pipe frame employed with the more expensive grade of awning, while the cost of the former is considerably lower than that of either the solid round rod or pipe frame.

Inorder to reinforce the inner endsV of the side arms 3, 3, and in order to eliminate undesirable rattling normally produced by loose fitting of and between the'inner endsrof the side'v arms of awning frames and the brackets which c afford pivotal support for the side arms the sidev arms in the present case maybe provided` with reinforcing sleeves 25, composed of sheet metal of relatively heavier gauge `than that of the arms 3 and transformed into cylindrical'shape having an `internal diameter capable of snuglytting over the outside of the side arm, with the seam 'la of the sleeve 25 in staggered relation .to the seam1ofthearm3.V Y

The sleeve is provided with axially extending laterally spaced lugs or tongues 26, 2'6 which normally flare outwardly but which, when. placed between the pivot .ears 21, 21 of the pivot bracket 5, due to the inherent resiliency of the metal of which the sleeve 25 and tongues 26 ls composed, maybe ilexe'd inwardly, sufficiently to enter between the ears 21, 21, whereby the outsides of the tongues 26 will at all times bear against the insides of the ear 21 and prevent relative lateral movement therebetween, thus eliminating the above noted rattling.

In view of the side arms 3, 3, the corner pieces 2, and the sleeves 2D each being composed of sheet or strip metal bent, rolled, or pressed into hollow cylindrical cross sectional form with the edges of the Ametal in abutting relation to each other but not lconnected one to the other, the staggering of the seams becomes advisable for 'the purposeof stiffening the frame.

As shown in Fig. 5, the cotter pin, rivet, bolt, or other means 20 which fastens the outer end of each side arm to one of the corner members 2, passes through the tubular side arm 3 vertically, as indicated at :1tx, Fig. 5. The pivot pin 4 (Fig. l), or the rivet, bolt, or other means28,

which secures the sleeve 25 to the inner end of the side arm 3, passes through the tubular side arm horizontally, as indicated at y-y, Fig. 5, at 90 to the fastening means 2l). In order that the seam 'I of the side arm is staggered relative to the axes of the pin, bolt or rivet receiving openings above noted and which are represented by the lines :cand y-y in Fig. 5, the seam 1 is placed midway between the two, i. e. substantially from each as clearly illustrated at 2 2, Fig. 5. The seam I3 between the two halves IG, Ii) of the cornerk member 2 lies substantially in the plane '1J-y of the pivot pin 4 or securing rivet 28; and the seam 1a of the sleeve 25 lies substantially in the plane :v -:c of the fastening. means 23, thus all seams at any joint between any two of the members of the frame are disposed in staggered relation to each other.

The pivot brackets 5, like the other elements of the frame are composed of sheet metal pressed into the shape shown, thus it will be seen that the whole assembly can be manufactured at a minimum cost which will be low enough to permit the frame to be sold cheaply and at the Y same time be suciently strong'and well con structed to give service for all practical purposes which will equal the service obtained by the expensive solid round rod or threaded pipe frames above referredl to.

We claim: f l. An awning framecomprising side members, a front member and corner members joining said front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open'searned hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionally of said members. I

2. An awning frame comprising side members, a front member, and corner members joiningsaid front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours crosS-sectionally of said members, the joining of said corner, front and `side members being respectively effected by a metal in open Seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionally of said members, the joining of said corner, front and side members being respectively eiected by a ysmooth walled projection of reduced cross-sectional area on one of said members entering a correspondingly smooth walled portion of the hollow center adjacent one end of another of said members, and means passing through the interlapping portions of the joined members and securing said members together.

An awning frame comprising side members, a front member and corner members joining said front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionally of said members, the joining of said corner, front and side members being respectively effected by a smooth walled projection of reduced cross-sectional area on one of said members entering a correspondingly smooth walled portion of the hollow center adjacent one end of another of said members and providing a shoulder on the one member engaging the end of the other of said members, and means passing through the interlapping portions of the joined members and securing said members together.

5. An awning frame comprising side members, a front member and corner members joining said front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionally of said members, each corner member being divided in a median plane and consisting of a pair of interchangeable half sections having coinciding contour edges and planar faces in opposed abutting relation to each other.

6. An awning frame comprising side members, a front member and corner members joining said front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionally of said members, each corner member being divided in a median plane and consisting of a pair of interchangeable half sections having coinciding contour edges and planar faces in opposed abutting relation to each other and provided with a projection at each end of reduced cross-sectional area relative to the intermediate portion of the assembled member, said projections entering the hollow-centered ends of the front and side members joined by said corner members respectively.

7. An awning frame comprising side members, a front member and corner members joining said front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionally of said members, each corner member being divided in a median plane and consisting of a pair of interchangeable half sections having coinciding contour edges and planar faces in opposed abutting relation to each other and provided with a projection at each end of reduced cross-sectional area relative to the intermediate portion of the assembled member providing shoulders on said corner members engaged by the end edges of said side and front members respectively, said projections entering the hollow-centered ends of the front and side members joined by said corner members respectively.

8. An awning frame comprising side members, a front member and corner members joining said front and yside members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionally of said members, each corner member being divided in a median plane and consisting of a' pair of interchangeable half sections having coinciding contour edges and planar faces in opposed abutting relation to each other the separating plane of the half sections of each of said corner members being substantially coincident with the general median plane of the assembled frame, said side and front members having longitudinally extending seams respectively disposed in staggered relation to the separating planes of the corner members.

9. An awning frame comprising side members,

a front member and corner members joining said front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in longitudinally open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionally or" said members, each side member comprising a tubular arm having openings arranged in diametrically opposed axially aligned pairs with said pairs respectively disposed in substantially radial planes substantially at right angles to each other, and the longitudinal seam being disposed in a substantially radial plane substantially midway between the right angularly disposed planes of said pairs of openings.

10. An awning frame comprising side members, a front member and corner members joining said front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in longitudinally open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionaliy of said members, each side member comprising a tubular arm having openings arranged in diametrically opposed axially aligned pairs respectively located adjacent opposite ends oi the side arm with said pairs respectively `disposed in substantially radial planes substantially at right angles to each other, the longitudinal seam being disposed in a substantially radial plane substantially midway between the right angularly disposed planes of said pairs of openings, and a corner member joined to one end of the side arm with a seam thereof disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the pair of openings in said end of the side arm.

11. An awning frame comprising side members, a front member and corner members joining said front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in longitudinally open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionally of said members, each side member comprising a tubular arm having openings arranged in diametrically opposed axially aligned pairs respectively located adjacent opposite ends of the side arm with said pairs respectively 4disposed in substantially radial planes substantially at right angles to each other, the longitudinal seam being disposed in a substantially radial plane substantially midway between the right angularly disposed planes of said pairs of openings, and a reinforcing member at and extending but a short distance along each side arm inwardly from the free end of the side arm with a seam thereof disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the pair of openings in said end of the side arm.

12. An awning frame comprising side members, a front member and corner .members `joining said iront and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in longitudinally open seemed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-se-ctionally of sai-d members, each side member comprising a tubular arm having openings Yarranged in diametrically opposed axially aligned pairs respectively located adjacent opposite ends of the side arm with said pairs respectively disposed in substantially radial planes substantially at right angles to each other, the longitudinal seam being disposed in a substantially radial plane substantially midway between the right angularly disposed planes o said pairs of openings, a corner member joined to the side arm at one end thereof, and a reinforcing member joined, to and extending but a short distance along said side arm at the opposite end thereof, said corner member and said reinforcing member having seams respectively disposed at right angles to each other and to the planes of the openings at the ends of the side arm respectively associated with said corner and reinforcing members.

13. An awning frame comprising side members, a iront member and corner members joining said iront and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours crosssectionally of said members, each side member comprising a tubular arm, a reinforcing sleeve encircling andextending inwardly for a short distance along and at one end of said side arm and composed of sheet material of relatively heavier gauge than that of said side arm.

14. An awning frame comprising side members, a frontv member and corner members joining said front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours cross-sectionally of said members, each side member comprising a tubular arm, a reinforcing sleeve encircling and extending inwardly for a short distance along and at one end of said side arm and composed of inherently resilient material, and a pair o dia-metrically opposite parallel tongues on and integral with one end of said sleeve and extending beyond said end of said side arm.

l5. en awning frame comprising side members, a iront member and corner members joining said front and side members, said member being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open seamed hollow-centered shapes of predetermined contours crosssectionally oi saidtmembers, each `side member comprising ay tubular arm, a reinforcing sleeve encircling and extending inwardly for a short distance along and at one end of said side arm and composed of inherently resilient material, and a pair of diametrically opposite parallel tongues on and integral with one end of said sleeve and extending beyond said end of said side. arm in slightly divergent relation to each other.

16. An awning frame comprising side members, a iront member and corner members joining said front and side members, said members being composed of single thicknesses of relatively thin metal in open seamed hollow-centered shapes oi predetermined contours cross-sectionally of said members, each side member comprising a tubular arm, a reinforcing sleeve encircling and extending inwardly for a short distance along and at one end of said side arm and composed of inherently resilient material, a pair of .diametrically opposite parallel resilient tongues on and integral with one end of said sleeve and extending beyond said end of said side arm in slightly divergent relation to each other, a pivot supporting vbraclret provided with a pair of laterally spaced ears between which said divergent tongues are disposed,` tobear against said ears respectively as a result of the resiliency of said tongues, and a pivot element extending through said ears and said tongues to pivotallyconnect the side arm to said bracket.

EDWARD REUKAUF, JR. WALTER J. STUBER. 

